CN107107602B

CN107107602B - Portable manufacturing system for articles of footwear

Info

Publication number: CN107107602B
Application number: CN201580073392.7A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 罗伯特·M·布鲁斯; 李恩庆; C·K·希尔斯
Original assignee: Nike Inc
Current assignee: Nike Inc
Priority date: 2014-12-10
Filing date: 2015-10-16
Publication date: 2020-05-22
Anticipated expiration: 2035-10-16
Also published as: US20160166011A1; TWI699277B; MX2017007445A; US20180014609A1; TWI632052B; WO2016093955A1; TW201636200A; CN107107602A; TW201829160A; EP3229631A1; EP3229631B1; KR20170097097A; JP2018501865A; JP6685303B2

Abstract

A portable manufacturing system (100) includes an additive manufacturing apparatus (212) and a braiding apparatus (222). The system also includes a system for gathering customized foot information from the foot. The additive manufacturing apparatus may be used to form a footwear last having a geometry corresponding to customized foot information. A footwear last may be placed through a braiding apparatus to form a braided component for an article of footwear. A welding device (232) may be used to attach the cover component to the braided component. The sole component may be formed separately and attached to the braided component.

Description

Portable manufacturing system for articles of footwear

Technical Field

This embodiment relates generally to manufacturing systems, and in particular to manufacturing systems for articles of footwear.

Background

An article of footwear generally includes an upper and a sole structure. The upper is manufactured by assembling a number of different components, including various layers, sections, or sections of material. These components may be made from raw textile materials (e.g., fabrics and leather goods).

SUMMARY

In one aspect, a method of manufacturing an article of footwear includes: receiving information relating to a three-dimensional model of a footwear last; a footwear last is formed by the additive manufacturing process, wherein the footwear last has a three-dimensional geometry corresponding to a three-dimensional model of the footwear last. The method also includes inserting the footwear last through a braiding device (braiding device) to form a braided footwear component on the footwear last, and removing the braided footwear component from the footwear last to produce an article of footwear with the braided footwear component.

In some embodiments, forming the footwear last includes printing the footwear last using a three-dimensional printer.

In some embodiments, the method further includes collecting customized foot information from the foot, and wherein the method includes creating a three-dimensional model of the footwear last using the customized foot information.

In some embodiments, acquiring customized foot information includes using at least two optical sensing devices to obtain an image of the foot.

In some embodiments, collecting customized foot information includes using a foot scanning device to collect information about the sole of the foot.

In some embodiments, the method further includes assembling the sole component with the braided footwear component.

In some embodiments, the method further includes bonding the overlay component to the braided footwear component.

In some embodiments, bonding the overlay component to the braided footwear component includes welding the overlay component to the braided footwear component.

In some embodiments, the braiding device is configured to over-braid the filaments of material onto a footwear last.

In another aspect, a portable manufacturing system includes a portable housing having a towing system, where the towing system is configured to be attached to a towing vehicle such that the portable housing can be towed by the towing vehicle. The system also includes an additive manufacturing device and a braiding device. The additive manufacturing apparatus and the braiding apparatus are disposed within a housing interior of a portable housing. The additive manufacturing device is configured to form a footwear last, and the braiding device is configured to form a braided footwear component on the footwear last.

In some embodiments, the portable housing is a semi-trailer.

In some embodiments, the portable manufacturing system further comprises a sensing device configured to collect customized foot information from the foot, and wherein the sensing device is disposed within the housing interior of the portable housing.

In some embodiments, the portable manufacturing system further comprises a welding device, and wherein the welding device is disposed within the housing interior of the portable housing.

In some embodiments, the additive manufacturing apparatus is configured to operate within the housing interior, and wherein the braiding apparatus is configured to operate within the housing interior.

In some embodiments, the portable manufacturing system includes a computing system, wherein the computing system is configured to build a three-dimensional model of a footwear last using the customized foot information, wherein the computing system is configured to control the additive manufacturing apparatus to form the footwear last from the three-dimensional model of the footwear last, and wherein the computing system is disposed within the housing interior.

In another aspect, a manufacturing system includes a sensing device for sensing customized foot information (customized foot information), an additive manufacturing device, a braiding device, and a welding device. The additive manufacturing device is configured to form a footwear last using the customized foot information. The braiding apparatus is configured to form a braided footwear component on a footwear last. The welding device is configured to bond at least one covering component (overlay component) to a braided footwear component formed using a braiding device.

In some embodiments, the manufacturing system includes at least two optical sensing devices.

In some embodiments, the customized foot information includes information about the three-dimensional geometry of the foot.

In some embodiments, the sensing device, the additive manufacturing device, the braiding device, and the welding device are all housed in a portable housing that includes a drag system.

In some embodiments, the portable housing is configured to be towed by a towing vehicle using a towing system.

Other systems, methods, features and advantages of the embodiments will be or will become apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following figures and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, features and advantages be included within this description and this summary, be within the scope of the embodiments, and be protected by the following claims.

Drawings

Embodiments may be better understood with reference to the following drawings and description. The components in the figures are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the embodiments. Moreover, in the figures, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the different views.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a portable enclosure for a portable manufacturing system;

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of an embodiment of an interior of a portable enclosure for a portable manufacturing system;

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of an embodiment of a storage rack for storing spools in a portable manufacturing system;

FIG. 4 is an embodiment of a process for manufacturing an article of footwear;

FIG. 5 is a schematic view of an embodiment of the step of receiving customized foot information using an acquisition system;

FIG. 6 is a schematic view of another embodiment of the step of receiving customized foot information using the acquisition system;

7-9 are schematic diagrams of embodiments of steps for forming a customized last using an additive manufacturing system;

10-12 are schematic diagrams of an embodiment of a step of inserting a customized last through a braiding apparatus to form a braided component on the customized last;

FIG. 13 is a schematic view of an embodiment of a step of removing excess material from a braided component;

fig. 14 is a schematic view of an embodiment of a step of removing a customized last from a knitted component;

figure 15 is a schematic view of an embodiment of a step of forming a sole component using an additive manufacturing system;

FIG. 16 is a schematic view of an embodiment of a step of forming a covering component using an additive manufacturing system;

FIG. 17 is a schematic view of an embodiment of a knitted component in the form of a footwear upper, an associated covering component, and two sole components;

FIG. 18 is a schematic view of an embodiment of a step of attaching a cover component to a braided component using a welding system;

FIG. 19 is a schematic view of an embodiment of an article of footwear with a knitted component;

FIG. 20 is a schematic view of a customer wearing a pair of articles that have been manufactured using the portable manufacturing system; and

fig. 21 is a schematic diagram of a portable manufacturing system temporarily located in a parking lot at a stadium according to an embodiment.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 is a schematic external view of an embodiment of a portable enclosure 102 for a portable manufacturing system 100. Fig. 2 shows a schematic internal view of a portable housing 102, which includes various components of the portable manufacturing system 100 disposed within the portable housing 102. The term "housing" as used throughout the detailed description and claims refers to any housing, casing, container, or other structure that may be configured to store one or more devices, components, and/or systems of a portable manufacturing system. Further, as used herein, "portable housing" refers to any housing, shell, container, or other structure that can be moved from one location to another. In particular, the portable enclosure may be any enclosure that is not permanently affixed to a ground surface, attached to another building, or otherwise not displaceable by a mobile device (e.g., a truck, crane, or other apparatus for moving the portable structure).

The exemplary embodiment depicts a portable housing 102 in the form of a trailer. More specifically, in an exemplary embodiment, portable housing 102 may be a detachable semi-trailer. In other embodiments, the portable housing 102 may be a permanently attached compartment in a truck.

As shown in fig. 1, the portable housing 102 may include provisions to facilitate moving the portable housing 102 from one location to another. In some embodiments, the portable housing 102 may include a towing system. As used herein, the term "towing system" refers to any system, assembly, device, and/or component that allows a portable housing to be attached to and towed by a towing vehicle. The towing vehicle may be a tractor, a truck (e.g., a pick-up truck, a tow truck, or any other type of truck), and any other type of vehicle capable of towing the portable housing 102. In the exemplary embodiment shown in fig. 1, the portable housing 102 includes a towing system 139. In one embodiment, the towing system 139 may be a king pin (kingpin), which may be connected to a fifth wheel of the tractor unit. However, other embodiments of the portable housing 102 may utilize any other components of a towing system known in the art. In some embodiments, the portable housing 102 can also include two or more wheels 132 that allow the portable housing 102 to be towed.

More generally, the portable housing 102 may include various kinds of attachment features that facilitate attaching the portable housing 102 to any other vehicle (e.g., truck), machine (e.g., crane), and/or equipment. Exemplary attachment features include, but are not limited to, trailer hooks, brackets, hooks, snaps, and/or other kinds of features that may be used to tow, lift, or otherwise move portable housing 102.

Further, the portable housing 102 may include provisions for entering and exiting the portable housing 102. In some embodiments, the portable housing 102 may include a door and/or stairs. The door may provide access to the at least one interior compartment portable housing 102. Of course, in other embodiments, other arrangements for entering and/or exiting the portable housing 102 may be included. In one embodiment, the back end of the portable housing 102 may include a door 109, as shown in FIG. 2.

It should be understood that other embodiments may take the form of any other type of portable housing 102. For example, it is contemplated that in alternative embodiments, the portable housing may take the form of a shipping container or other cargo container. Further, while the exemplary embodiment describes the portable housing 102 as completely enclosing the interior of the portable housing 102, other embodiments can only be partially enclosed. In another embodiment, for example, portable housing 102 may take the form of a flatbed trailer that does not include one or more sidewalls and/or a roof.

Referring now to fig. 2, the portable housing 102 includes a housing interior 107 having at least one interior compartment 160. Various components of the portable manufacturing system 100 may be disposed within the interior compartment 160. In an exemplary embodiment, portable manufacturing system 100 includes a collection station 200, and collection station 200 may include equipment for collecting customized foot information from one or more feet. Additionally, portable manufacturing system 100 includes an additive manufacturing station 210, a braiding station 220, and a welding station 230. Additionally, portable manufacturing system 100 also includes at least one set of storage racks 280 and computing system 250. Of course, the list of stations, systems, and components is not intended to be exhaustive, and in other embodiments, portable manufacturing system 100 may include additional stations, systems, and/or components. Moreover, in other embodiments, some of the stations, systems, and/or components may be optional. As an example, some embodiments may not include a welding station within the portable housing 102.

The acquisition station 200 may include provisions for acquiring information about the customer's foot. In particular, in some embodiments, the acquisition station 200 may include provisions for acquiring geometric information about one or more feet. Such geometric information may include dimensions (e.g., length, width, and/or height) and three-dimensional information corresponding to the customer's foot (e.g., forefoot geometry, midfoot geometry, heel geometry, and ankle geometry). In at least one embodiment, the collected geometric information for the customer's foot can be used to generate a three-dimensional model of the foot for a subsequent manufacturing stage. For convenience, the term "customized foot information" is used throughout this detailed description and in the claims to refer to any information relating to the size and/or shape of the foot. In particular, the customized foot information may include at least a width and a length of the foot. In some cases, the customized foot information may include information about the geometry of a three-dimensional foot. The customized foot information may be used to create a three-dimensional model of the foot.

Embodiments may include any other arrangement for gathering customized foot information. In an alternative embodiment, for example, portable manufacturing system 100 may use foot scanning device 402, as shown in fig. 6 and discussed in further detail below.

The additive manufacturing station 210 includes an additive manufacturing apparatus 212. The term "additive manufacturing apparatus" (also referred to as "three-dimensional printing") refers to any apparatus and technique for making three-dimensional objects by an additive process in which layers of material are deposited continuously under computer control. Exemplary additive manufacturing techniques that may be used include, but are not limited to: extrusion methods, such as Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM), electron beam free form fabrication (EBF), Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS), electron beam melting (EMB), Selective Laser Melting (SLM), Selective Heat Sintering (SHS), Selective Laser Sintering (SLS), gypsum-based 3D printing, Layered Object Manufacturing (LOM), Stereolithography (SLA), and Digital Light Processing (DLP). In one embodiment, the additive manufacturing apparatus 212 may be a fused deposition modeling printer configured to print thermoplastic materials, such as Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) or polylactic acid (PLA).

An example of a printing Apparatus using fuse manufacturing (FFF) is disclosed in U.S. patent No. 5,121,329 to Crump, entitled Apparatus and method for Creating Three-Dimensional Objects, filed on 30/10 in 1989, which is incorporated herein by reference and is hereinafter referred to as the "3D object" application. Embodiments of the present disclosure may utilize any of the systems, components, devices, and methods disclosed in the 3D object application.

The additive manufacturing apparatus 212 may be used to manufacture one or more components used to form an article of footwear. For example, additive manufacturing apparatus 212 may be used to form a footwear last (or simply "last") that may be used to form an upper for an article of footwear. Additionally, in at least some embodiments, the additive manufacturing apparatus 212 may be used to form other components for an article of footwear, including, but not limited to: sole components (e.g., insole components, midsole components, and/or outsole components), trim components, overlay components, eyelet-stay (eye-tables), panels, or other portions for an upper, and possibly other components. Such an arrangement may utilize any of the systems and/or components disclosed in U.S. patent publication No. ______ to Sterman, now U.S. patent application No. 14/273,726 filed 5, 9, 2014, and entitled "System and Method for forming three-Dimensional Structures," the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Although the exemplary embodiment depicts an additive manufacturing station 210 for forming lasts and/or other components, other embodiments may utilize any other systems and methods for forming customized lasts. In an alternative embodiment, the system for molding a last may be included as part of portable manufacturing system 100. In another alternative embodiment, a system for removing material from a block or preform of material (e.g., by turning, engraving, cutting, or sculpting the material) may be used to create a customized last or other component. In still other embodiments, the portable manufacturing system may include one or more lasts capable of varying size and/or geometry, including any of the lasts disclosed in U.S. patent No. 8,578,534 entitled "Inflatable Member," issued on 12/11/2013 of Langvin, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Embodiments may include provisions for forming an upper on a custom last. Some embodiments may include a braiding station 220, which may facilitate forming a braided upper over a custom last. In the exemplary embodiment of fig. 2, braiding station 220 includes braiding apparatus 222. In some embodiments, braiding apparatus 222 may include provisions for over-braiding (over-braiding) of wires (strands) onto a custom-made last.

In some embodiments, braiding station 220 may also include provisions for holding and/or feeding articles through braiding apparatus 222. For example, some embodiments may include a support platform 224 that may facilitate feeding articles through the braiding apparatus 222. In general, any system known in the art for feeding objects through a braiding machine may be used. In some embodiments, the conveyor system may be used to automatically move the footwear last through the braiding apparatus 222. In some cases, such a transport system may be integrated into the support platform 224. In some other embodiments, each footwear last may be manually inserted through braiding apparatus 222.

Embodiments may include provisions for joining, attaching, or otherwise connecting two or more components of an article of footwear together. In some embodiments, these settings may include a welding station 230. The welding station may also include a welding device 232. Exemplary welding techniques that may be used include, but are not limited to: high frequency welding, ultrasonic welding, friction welding, laser welding, and possibly other types of welds known in the art for joining two materials to form a portion of an article of footwear.

The portable manufacturing system 100 may include settings for controlling and/or receiving information from one or more devices. In an exemplary embodiment, for example, the portable manufacturing system 100 may include provisions for communicating with the acquisition station 200, the additive manufacturing device 212, the braiding device 222, and/or the welding device 232, as well as possibly other devices or systems that are part of the portable manufacturing system 100. Optionally, embodiments using a foot scanning device may include provisions for additional communication with the foot scanning device.

These settings may include the computing system 250 and the network. In the exemplary embodiment of fig. 2, the network for portable manufacturing system 100 is represented by network device 252 (e.g., a wireless router), although the network may generally include any number of links and nodes. In general, the term "computing system" refers to a computing resource of a single computer, a portion of a computing resource of a single computer, and/or two or more computers in communication with each other. Any of these resources may be operated by one or more human users. In some embodiments, computing system 250 may include one or more servers. In some cases, a separate server (not shown) may be primarily responsible for controlling and/or communicating with the devices of portable manufacturing system 100, while a separate computer (e.g., desktop, laptop, or tablet) may facilitate interaction with a user or operator. The computing system 250 may also include one or more storage devices including, but not limited to, magnetic, optical, magneto-optical storage devices and/or memory (including volatile and non-volatile memory).

As better shown in fig. 5, computing system 250 may include a viewing interface 386 (e.g., a monitor or screen), an input device 387 (e.g., a keyboard and mouse), and software for designing a computer-aided design ("CAD") representation 389 of the three-dimensional model. In at least some embodiments, CAD representation 389 may provide a representation of a footwear last. Further, in at least some embodiments, computing system 250 may be configured to provide CAD representations of sole components, covering components, trim components, and possibly other components or elements that may be manufactured as part of an article of footwear.

In some embodiments, computing system 250 may be in direct contact with one or more devices or systems of portable manufacturing system 100 via a network. The network may include any wired or wireless arrangement that facilitates the exchange of information between computing system 250 and devices of portable manufacturing system 100. In some embodiments, the network may also include various components, such as network interface controllers, repeaters, hubs, bridges, switches, routers (e.g., network device 252), modems, and firewalls. In some cases, the network may be a wireless network that facilitates wireless communication between two or more systems, devices, and/or components of portable manufacturing system 100. Examples of wireless networks include, but are not limited to: wireless personal area networks (including, for example, bluetooth), wireless local area networks (including networks utilizing the ieee802.11wlan standard), wireless mesh networks, mobile device networks, and other kinds of wireless networks. In other cases, the network may be a wired network including a network whose signals are facilitated by twisted pair wires (twister pair wires), coaxial cables, and optical fibers. In still other cases, a combination of wired and wireless networks and/or connections may be used.

As shown in fig. 2, in some embodiments, portable manufacturing system 100 may be operated by an operator 260. Operator 260 may be any person configured to operate one or more systems or devices of portable manufacturing system 100. For clarity, the embodiment of FIG. 2 shows a single operator being used to operate each station or equipment of the portable manufacturing system. However, in other embodiments, it is contemplated that multiple users may use the systems and/or equipment of portable manufacturing system 100.

In some embodiments, portable manufacturing system 100 may include provisions for storing manufacturing materials. Exemplary materials that may be stored within portable manufacturing system 100 include, but are not limited to: the materials used to form the upper, the materials used to form the sole structure, and possibly other materials. Materials used to form the upper may include, but are not limited to: textile materials (including woven and non-woven fabrics), leather materials (including synthetic and natural leather), plastic materials (e.g., for toes, heel cups, eyelets, laces, or other fasteners), metal materials (e.g., for toes, zippers, and other types of fastening devices), and any other type of material known in the art for making articles of footwear. The materials used to fabricate the sole structure may include the materials used to fabricate insoles, midsoles, outsoles, and discrete sole components (e.g., bladders or other cushioning devices). Exemplary materials may include, but are not limited to: foam, plastic, rubber, and possibly other kinds of materials.

Some embodiments may include provisions for limiting the amount of material needed to manufacture an article of footwear within portable manufacturing system 100. For example, in some embodiments utilizing a braiding apparatus for making an upper, the material used to make the upper may be primarily composed of various tensile elements (or tensile filaments) that may be formed into a shoe using the braiding apparatus. Such tensile elements may include, but are not limited to: threads, yarns, ropes, wires, cables and possibly other kinds of tensile elements. As used herein, a tensile element may describe a generally elongated material having a length much greater than a corresponding diameter. In other words, the tensile elements may be approximately one-dimensional elements, as compared to sheets or layers of textile material, which may generally be approximately two-dimensional (e.g., having a thickness much less than its length and width). The exemplary embodiment illustrates the use of various types of threads, but it should be understood that any other type of tensile element compatible with braiding equipment may be used in other embodiments.

As shown in fig. 2 and 3, portable manufacturing system 100 may include a storage rack 280 for storing one or more manufacturing materials. In the exemplary embodiment of fig. 2 and 3, the storage rack 280 is seen storing a plurality of spools 282 having a plurality of lines. The color, diameter, tensile strength, and any other possible characteristics of the wire may vary. Some embodiments may be configured to store a wide range of thread types (e.g., many different colors and/or many different diameters), while other embodiments may be configured to store a relatively narrow range of thread types (e.g., two color threads).

With this arrangement, the operator 260 can easily select various spools for use with the braiding apparatus 222. In some embodiments, operator 260 may select a desired candidate strand material from storage rack 280 prior to manufacturing a customized article of footwear. Such candidate wire materials may be selected based on a variety of different factors, including manufacturing considerations as well as customer preferences. For example, in some embodiments, the customer may select a custom color for the article of footwear, and operator 260 may therefore select a corresponding candidate strand material having the user-selected color. In addition, in some cases, the customer may have the right to select performance and/or comfort characteristics for the article of footwear. For example, a customer may select an article with a high degree of comfort and an operator may select a thread with a high degree of elasticity accordingly to improve the stretch and fit of the manufactured article of footwear. As another example, a customer may select an article with the greatest support, and an operator may select a line with low elasticity (and high tensile strength) accordingly to reduce stretch and stretch (give) during various dynamic motions (e.g., cutting).

Accordingly, it should be appreciated that portable manufacturing system 100 is capable of producing articles having a wide range of properties (e.g., color, tensile strength, elasticity, breathability, and other properties) while minimizing the number of different material inputs required to manufacture an upper. This may be accomplished by forming most or all of the portions of the upper from wire or other stretch material that may be readily stored within portable manufacturing system 100. Further, this may be in contrast to other kinds of manufacturing systems that require a large amount of material input (e.g., various fabrics, leather, and other material elements). In these alternative manufacturing systems, it may not be feasible to store a large number of different material components having different colors, strengths, etc. within a portable enclosure (e.g., a trailer).

Referring back to fig. 2, the exemplary embodiment depicts one possible configuration of components (e.g., stations and equipment) within the portable housing 102. In an exemplary embodiment, each station or device is stored within the interior of the portable housing 102 and operates within the interior of the portable housing 102. In particular, the walls (including doors), floor, and ceiling of the portable housing 102 can define an outer housing boundary 105, the outer housing boundary 105 further defining a housing interior 107 disposed within the outer housing boundary 105. In the exemplary embodiment seen in FIG. 2, all of the stations of portable manufacturing system 100 are stored and operated within enclosure interior 107. In particular, the collection station 200, additive manufacturing station 210, braiding station 220, and welding station 230, as well as computing system 250 and storage rack 280 are housed and operate within the housing interior 107. This arrangement allows for a compact storage and operating area for making a customized article of footwear.

In at least some embodiments, the low space usage (low footprint) of portable manufacturing system 100, as defined by enclosure interior 107, may allow portable manufacturing system 100 to be used at any remote location to which portable enclosure 102 may be delivered (e.g., by towing) and to which portable enclosure 102 may fit (e.g., in a parking space for a trailer). This allows the portable manufacturing system 100 to be delivered to, for example, a retail location (e.g., a storefront). Such a system may also be used at locations where various sporting events are conducted. In such a case, a fan at the sporting event may obtain customized items manufactured for them at the location of the sporting event.

Although the embodiment depicted in fig. 2 includes each station disposed and operated within the housing interior 107, other embodiments may differ from this configuration. As an example, fig. 6 shows an alternative arrangement in which the acquisition station 400 operates outside the portable housing 102 (and thus outside the housing interior 107).

Referring back to fig. 2, in this exemplary configuration, each station is aligned in a substantially linear arrangement along the longitudinal dimension of the portable housing 102. In some cases, each station may be disposed on or near a sidewall of the portable housing 102. Of course, such a configuration is merely exemplary, and other embodiments may have each station disposed within the portable housing 102 in any other configuration.

Embodiments may include provisions for ensuring that an article of footwear may be manufactured within portable housing 102. In some embodiments, stations, devices, and other components may be arranged within the portable housing 102 such that the operator 260 may use the work area 290 to operate one or more stations, systems, and/or devices while the operator 260 remains within the housing interior 107. The term "work area" as used throughout the specification and claims refers to an area available within the housing interior 107 of an operator, customer, or other user that may stand or move in order to access, use, or operate a station, system, and/or device. In the exemplary embodiment, work area 290 is large enough to accommodate operator 260 walking between each station and also standing at and operating the equipment at each station.

In the embodiment of fig. 2, the portable housing 102 is configured with a length 166, a width 162, and a height 164. The absolute and/or relative values of these dimensions may vary in different embodiments. In some embodiments, the length 166 may have a value in a range between 5 meters and 16 meters. Further, in some embodiments, width 162 may have a value in a range between 1 meter and 5 meters. Further, in some embodiments, the height 164 may have a value in a range between 1 meter and 5 meters. In an exemplary embodiment, length 166 may have a value of about 14.6 meters, width 162 may have a value of about 2.6 meters, and height 164 may have a value of about 2.8 meters.

The approximate area of the working region 290 may vary in different embodiments. In some embodiments, the working area 290 may have a value in a range between 10 percent to 90 percent of the maximum available floor space (floor space) in the portable housing 102 (e.g., the area determined by the length 166 multiplied by the width 162). Further, in at least some embodiments, the work area 290 may be sized to ensure that at least one operator is able to stand, sit, and/or move through the work area 290 in order to operate each of the collection station 200, computing system 250, additive manufacturing station 210, braiding station 220, and welding station 230.

FIG. 4 illustrates a method of manufacturing a customized article of footwear using portable manufacturing system 100. In addition, fig. 5-20 illustrate embodiments of various steps in a manufacturing process that depicts at least some of the arrangements of steps depicted in fig. 4. It should be understood that this method is not intended to be limiting, and is merely intended to illustrate one possible method of manufacturing a customized article with portable manufacturing system 100. Furthermore, some of the steps shown in fig. 5-20 may be optional. Moreover, in some other embodiments, the order of the steps may be interchanged.

In a first step 480 of the process shown in fig. 4, information regarding the customer's foot may be received. Such information (referred to herein as "customized foot information") may include any information regarding the size and/or shape of a customer's foot. The dimensional information may include, but is not limited to, general foot dimensions, foot width, foot length, and dimensions of the foot at a particular location of the foot (e.g., width at the ball of the metatarsal, width at the arch, and width at the heel). The shape or geometric information may include information relating to the shape of the sole of the foot as well as the shape of the entire foot, including three-dimensional shape information. The three-dimensional foot information may include information about a location that deviates from a typical foot shape (e.g., a location and/or shape of a bunion (bunion), information about a flat arch, etc.). The three-dimensional foot information may also include a three-dimensional model or representation of the foot (using, for example, a point cloud model or a wire mesh model).

After the customized foot information has been received (or obtained), the operator may create a customized last corresponding to the customized foot information during step 482. In some embodiments, the customized last may be manufactured using an additive manufacturing system, such as a three-dimensional printer (i.e., a "3D printer"). During this step, a single custom last may be produced, or a pair of corresponding custom lasts may be produced.

Thereafter, during step 484, an upper may be manufactured by associating the customized last with the braiding device. In particular, a customized last may be inserted through the braiding apparatus to form a braided upper on the customized last. In some cases, the customized last may be manually inserted through the braiding apparatus. In other cases, the customized last may be automatically inserted through the braiding apparatus using, for example, a continuous last feeding system.

Next, during optional step 486, the operator may make one or more covers for the upper. Further, during optional step 486, the operator may manufacture one or more sole elements that may be associated with the braided upper to form the final article of footwear. In at least some embodiments, the covering and/or sole components may be created using additive manufacturing methods (e.g., 3D printing).

Following optional step 486, the braided upper formed using the customized last may be associated with any covering and/or sole component during step 488. In some embodiments, the trim component and/or the sole component may be bonded to the upper using a welding device. In some embodiments, laces or other fasteners may also be added to the braided upper to form the final article of footwear.

Fig. 5-20 show schematic views of various possible steps in a process for manufacturing an article of footwear using portable manufacturing system 100. Once the customer has been received at the collection station, the method may begin, the collection station including collection station 200 (shown in fig. 5) depicted as being disposed within housing interior 107, or depicted as an alternative collection station 400 (shown in fig. 6) disposed outside of housing interior 107.

Fig. 5 shows a schematic view of a customer 270 standing at the collection station 200. In addition, operator 260 works at nearby computing system 250 to control acquisition station 200 to obtain customized foot information for manufacturing a customized last.

In the present embodiment shown in fig. 5, a customer 270 may enter the portable housing 102 to begin the process of building a customized article of footwear using the portable manufacturing system 100. Embodiments of the portable housing 102 may include a rear trailer door (e.g., door 109) and/or side doors that allow entry and exit. Some embodiments may also include stairs, ladders, and/or ramps that allow an operator and/or customer to climb up the door of the portable housing 102.

In some embodiments, operator 260 may enter customer 270 into portable housing 102 in order to have customer 270 stand at collection station 200, as shown in fig. 5. At collection station 200, customized information about a user's foot may be collected during a first (or early) step in the process of manufacturing a customized article of footwear with portable manufacturing system 100.

As shown in fig. 5 and 6, in some embodiments, a capture station may be used to obtain customized foot information to capture two-dimensional and/or three-dimensional information about a customer's foot. Of course, it is also contemplated that, in at least some embodiments, customized foot information may be collected in any other manner, including manually using various conventional measuring devices (e.g., tape measures, foot measuring devices (Brannock devices), etc.). Further, in at least some embodiments, rather than using systems or equipment from portable manufacturing system 100 to collect or directly measure customized foot information, customized foot information may be retrieved from a database or provided directly by a customer.

Acquisition station 200 may include one or more sensing systems and/or sensing devices capable of sensing (e.g., acquiring) customized foot information. In one embodiment of the acquisition station shown in fig. 5, the acquisition station 200 includes at least two optical sensing devices and a mark area on which a customer can stand. In particular, the acquisition station 200 may include an optical sensing device 202 and an optical sensing device 204, which optical sensing device 202 and optical sensing device 204 may work together to acquire customized foot information, including the size and/or shape of the foot 271 of the customer 270. The optical sensing device may be any kind of device capable of acquiring image information. Examples of different optical sensing devices that may be used include, but are not limited to: still-shot cameras, video cameras, digital cameras, non-digital cameras, webcams (webcams), and other types of optical sensing devices known in the art. The type of optical sensing device may be selected based on factors such as the desired data transfer rate, system memory allocation, form factor of the optical sensing device, the desired spatial resolution of the viewing foot, and possibly other factors.

Exemplary image sensing technologies that may be used with the optical sensing device include, but are not limited to: semiconductor Charge Coupled Devices (CCD), sensors of the Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) type, sensors of the N-type metal oxide semiconductor (NMOS) type and possibly other kinds of sensors. In some other embodiments, optical sensing devices that detect non-visible wavelengths (including, for example, infrared wavelengths) may also be used.

For illustrative purposes, two cameras are depicted in FIG. 5. Such a configuration may allow three-dimensional imaging using stereoscopic imaging techniques. However, other embodiments may utilize any other number of cameras. Further, other embodiments may be configured with any other kind of 3D scanning technology, including contact 3D scanning (e.g., a coordinate measuring machine), time-of-flight 3D laser scanning, triangulation-based 3D laser scanning, and possibly other kinds of 3D scanning technologies.

The acquisition station 200 also includes a positioning zone 206. In some embodiments, positioning zone 206 corresponds to a zone in which a user (e.g., a customer) may stand so that optical sensing device 202 and/or optical sensing device 204 may collect customized foot information. In some cases, positioning region 206 may include markings, such as contours of the foot, intended to provide guidance as to where the user should stand for optimal operation of model collection station 200.

Although the optical sensing device 202 and the optical sensing device 204 are shown here in a static configuration, it is contemplated that in some embodiments, the optical sensing device 202 and/or the optical sensing device 204 may be moved to various positions to acquire additional views of the foot 271. Optionally, in some embodiments, the method may include moving a user (e.g., customer) location area 206 to a different orientation.

In some embodiments, the operator 260 controls the collection station 200 to collect customized foot information for the foot 271 of the customer 270. The collected customized foot information may be delivered to computing system 250 via a network (e.g., using networked device 252). Once received, the customized foot information may be stored as raw data. In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 5, customized foot information may be used to create a customized foot model 302. Customized foot model 302 may be a three-dimensional model that represents information about the size and/or geometry of a user's foot. In the embodiment shown in fig. 5, information about both feet may be collected simultaneously. However, in other embodiments, customized foot information may be collected for one foot at a time.

Fig. 6 shows an alternative configuration of the acquisition station 400. In the embodiment shown in fig. 6, the collection station 400 may be part of the portable manufacturing system 100, but operates outside of the housing interior 107 of the portable housing 102. In some embodiments, the acquisition station 400 includes a portable foot scanning device 402 and a remote computing device 404. The portable foot scanning device 402 may be any device known in the art for gathering information about a user's foot. Some embodiments may use any system, Apparatus, and method for Imaging the Foot, as disclosed in U.S. patent publication No. 2013/0258085 entitled "Foot Imaging and Measurement Apparatus," published 2013, month 10, and day 3 by Gregory et al, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Remote computing device 404 may be configured to receive information from foot scanning device 402. In some embodiments, the remote computing device 404 may be configured to relay information to one or more systems or devices within the portable manufacturing system 100 (e.g., using the network device 252). In at least some embodiments, the remote computing device 404 may be a tablet device.

Alternatively, some embodiments may use the foot scanning device 402 within the portable housing 102 and not outside the portable housing 102. Similarly, some other embodiments may use components of the acquisition station 200 (e.g., the optical sensing device 202 and the optical sensing device 204) that are external to the portable housing 102. Further, it is contemplated that in other embodiments, any of the stations/systems of the portable manufacturing system 100 may operate within the portable housing 102 or operate outside of the portable housing 102. Specifically, in some other embodiments, each of the additive manufacturing station 210, the braiding station 220, and/or the welding station 230 may be operated outside of the portable housing 102.

Fig. 7-9 show schematic views of steps in a process for manufacturing a customized last using additive manufacturing station 210. As shown in fig. 7, an operator 260 may use the computing system 250 to control the additive manufacturing equipment 212 of the additive manufacturing station 210. The additive manufacturing apparatus 212 may include an apparatus housing 500, an actuation assembly 502, and an extrusion head 505. The additive manufacturing device 212 may also include a platform 506. In some cases, extrusion head 505 may be translated in the z-axis (i.e., vertical axis) via actuation assembly 502, while platform 506 of additive manufacturing apparatus 212 may be moved in the x-and y-directions (i.e., horizontal axis). In other cases, extrusion head 505 may have full three-dimensional movement (e.g., x-y-z movement) over a fixed platform.

As shown in fig. 7-9, the customized foot model 302 or the original customized foot information collected (or otherwise obtained) in a previous step may be used to form a customized last 510. In some cases, the customized foot model 302 or the original customized foot information is provided to the additive manufacturing device 212 in the form of a 3D printed file format. In one embodiment, for example, the customized model 302 and/or information associated with the customized model 302 may be provided to the additive manufacturing device 212 in an STL file format, which is a stereolithography file format (stereolithography file format) for 3D printing. In other embodiments, the information may be stored and/or transmitted in an additive manufacturing file format (AMF), which is an open standard for 3D printed information. Still other embodiments may store and/or transmit information using the X3D file format. In still other embodiments, any other file format known for storing 3D objects and/or 3D printed information may be used.

Fig. 7-10 depict how additive manufacturing apparatus 212 is used to form a customized last 510. In particular, the customized last 510 is formed as the extrusion head 505 deposits successive layers of material. For example, fig. 7-9 illustrate layer 531 (in fig. 7), layer 532 (in fig. 8), and layer 533 (in fig. 9).

Fig. 10-14 depict schematic views of steps in an exemplary process for manufacturing an upper by inserting a customized last through a braiding machine.

It is contemplated that in some embodiments, operator 260 may select a set of threads for loading onto braiding apparatus 222 prior to placing customized last 510 through braiding apparatus 222. The selected set of lines may be selected according to customer preferences for article color, performance characteristics, and/or comfort and fit. Alternatively, the selected set of lines may be selected based on predetermined manufacturing considerations that may not be determined by the customer. For example, if the operator knows that the customer will use the final article of footwear in a particular type of athletic activity or at a particular location in motion, the operator may select a line having desired performance characteristics corresponding to that athletic activity and/or location.

In the configuration shown in fig. 10, spool 802 with wire 804 has been loaded onto braiding apparatus 222. When the customized last 510 is brought to braiding station 220, the customized last 510 may be fed through braiding apparatus 222 to form a braided upper. In some embodiments, customized last 510 may be manually fed through braiding apparatus 222 by operator 260. In other embodiments, a continuous last feeding system may be used to feed the customized last 510 through the braiding apparatus 222. This embodiment may utilize any of the methods and systems for forming a braided Upper disclosed in U.S. patent application No. 14/495,252, filed 24/9/2014 of Bruce and entitled "Article of Footwear with braided Upper," U.S. patent publication No. 2015/0007451, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

As shown in fig. 11-12, as the customized last 510 is fed through the braiding apparatus 222, a braided footwear component 902 is formed around the customized last 510. In this case, braided footwear component 902 includes a continuously braided upper structure that conforms to customized last 510, and thus has the approximate geometry of customized last 510.

It is contemplated that, in at least some embodiments, the customized last may be configured with one or more portions that are different from the foot-shaped portion of the last. For example, a customized Last may include a flange, as disclosed in U.S. patent publication No. ______, entitled "Last System for knitting shoe," filed on 12/10 2014 of Bruce, now U.S. patent application No. 14/565,682, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. In some cases, a flange or similar component may facilitate coupling the last to a continuous last feeding system. In such embodiments, a custom last having a flange may be inserted through braiding apparatus 222, and excess braided portions formed around the flange may be cut away and discarded prior to forming the final article.

As schematically shown in fig. 13-14, after forming the braided footwear component 902, the sections 904 of the braided footwear component 902 may be cut away or otherwise removed to form openings 910 in the braided footwear component 902. In some cases, customized last 510 may be removed from opening 910, and opening 910 may further serve as an opening for the foot.

Figure 15 shows a schematic of steps of forming one or more sole elements that may be assembled with a braided footwear element 902 to form an article of footwear. As shown in figure 15, in some embodiments, the operator 260 may control the additive manufacturing device 212 to print a first sole component 1002 and a second sole component 1004. In some cases, the size and/or shape of the first sole component 1002 and the second sole component 1004 may be determined according to the size and/or shape of the customized foot model 302 (see fig. 5), which customized foot model 302 provides a representation of the approximate size and shape of a customer's foot.

Alternatively, other embodiments may utilize inventory sole components without using an additive manufacturing device to create sole components. These components may be stored within the portable housing 102. In some cases, sole components corresponding to a variety of different sizes of footwear may be stored in portable housing 102 for assembly with a braided upper.

As shown in fig. 16, some embodiments may also include provisions for making trim pieces, covers, or other components or portions of material for assembly with a braided footwear component. As used herein, the term "covering" refers to any layer of material that may be disposed on a layer of braided material (including braided materials used for uppers). The cover may be composed of any of a variety of materials and may be configured to have various characteristics (e.g., stretch, elasticity, density, weight, durability, breathability, etc.). Further, the covering may be of any size and may be configured to cover some and/or all portions of the knitted component. The covering may be disposed on an inner surface of the knitted component and/or an outer surface of the knitted component. Embodiments may use any of the coverings disclosed in U.S. patent application No. 14/163,438 and/or methods for attaching the covering to a Braided part, U.S. patent publication No. 2014/0373389 to Bruce, entitled "Braided Upper with overlays for Article of Footwear," filed 24/1/2014, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

In fig. 16, the operator 260 may control the additive manufacturing apparatus 212 to print the covering part 1010. In this case, covering component 1010 may provide a covering or padding for opening 910 of braided footwear component 902 (see fig. 14). In particular, because the opening 910 has a cut edge 911, the covering component 1010 can be bonded to the edge 911 to secure the end of the wire at the edge 911 and reinforce the opening 910.

Alternatively, other embodiments may use stock material for the trim, covering, and/or other portions rather than using additive manufacturing equipment to create the trim, covering, or other material portions. These components may be stored within the portable housing 102. In some cases, pieces and/or coverings corresponding to various sizes of footwear may be stored in portable housing 102 for assembly with the braided upper.

Figure 17 shows a schematic exploded view of a braided footwear component 902, a first sole component 1002, a second sole component 1004, and a cover component 1010. As shown in fig. 17, in an exemplary embodiment, a covering component 1010 can be associated with an opening 910 that includes an edge 911. When assembled with braided footwear component 902, cover component 1010 may extend through portions of lacing region 914 of braided footwear component 902. Additionally, in at least some embodiments, covering component 1010 may also include eyelets 915 that may receive a lace (e.g., lace 1050 shown in fig. 19).

Fig. 18 illustrates the step of assembling cover component 1010 with braided footwear component 902 to form upper 1020 comprised of cover component 1010 and braided footwear component 902. In an exemplary embodiment, covering component 1010 may be joined with braided footwear component 902 using a welding technique or method. Thus, in this case, it can be seen that operator 260 is working at welding station 230 to connect cover component 1010 and braided footwear component 902.

In the embodiment shown in fig. 18, the welding station 230 includes a welding device 232. Further, the welding device 232 includes at least one welding head 235. In one embodiment, welding device 232 may be an ultrasonic welding machine that uses ultrasonic welding to bond covering component 1010 to braided footwear component 902. However, other embodiments may use any other type of welding technique known in the art, including various plastic welding techniques. These techniques may include, but are not limited to: extrusion welding, contact welding, hot plate welding, high frequency welding, injection welding, ultrasonic welding, spin welding, laser welding, and possibly other types of welding.

Alternatively, in other embodiments, covering component 1010 may be attached to braided footwear component 902 using any variety of adhesives. In addition, some embodiments may use an adhesive to initially hold covering component 1010 in place on braided footwear component 902, and then may use welding device 232 to permanently bond covering component 1010 to braided footwear component 902.

First sole component 1002 and second sole component 1004 may be attached to braided footwear component 902 using any known method for attaching a sole structure to an upper, mesh, and/or braided layer. In some embodiments, first sole component 1002 and second sole component 1004 may be bonded to braided footwear component 902 using an adhesive, such as glue. It is also contemplated that, in at least some embodiments, first sole component 1002 and/or second sole component 1004 may be welded to braided footwear component 902 if first sole component 1002 and/or second sole component 1004 are made of a weld-compatible material.

Fig. 19 illustrates a schematic view of the final article of footwear 1100. Article 1100 may include braided footwear component 902, overlay component 1010, first sole component 1002, and second sole component 1004. Additionally, in an exemplary embodiment, lace 1050 has been assembled with covering component 1010 and braided footwear component 902, and lace 1050 may be used to adjust the dimensions of braided footwear component 902.

In fig. 20, a customer 270 from whom customized foot information has been collected in an earlier step is seen wearing a pair of newly manufactured items. Specifically, the customer 270 is wearing an article 1100 that may be manufactured using the process discussed above and shown in fig. 4-19. Thus, exemplary portable manufacturing system 100 may be capable of producing articles of footwear that are customized for a customer's foot. Moreover, production of the article may occur relatively quickly, and may be as short as the overall time required to collect the customized foot information (using collection station 200), print the customized last (using additive manufacturing apparatus 212), form the braided footwear component on the customized last (using braiding apparatus 222), print the overlay and sole components, and assemble the parts into the final article (using welding apparatus 232). Although the time required for each step may vary in different embodiments, embodiments may provide a total manufacturing time of less than four hours. In at least some embodiments, the time required for each step can be selected such that the total manufacturing time is less than one hour. In yet further embodiments, the total manufacturing time is less than thirty minutes.

Exemplary embodiments provide a portable manufacturing system and associated method of use that may significantly reduce the number of different material components required to manufacture an article of footwear. For example, some other systems and methods of manufacturing footwear may require 30 to 100 different pieces of material to form the final article of footwear. In contrast, the exemplary systems and methods discussed above and illustrated in the drawings utilize five different material components: a braided footwear component (e.g., an upper), two sole components, a covering component, and a lace. Still other embodiments may utilize as few as one component (e.g., an article formed solely of braided footwear components) or significantly more than five components (e.g., an article with additional covering components, trim portions, and/or other elements as disclosed above).

The portable housing 102 may be moved or transported from one location to another. Exemplary starting locations and/or destinations for portable housing 102 include various manufacturing facilities, retail locations (e.g., shoe and/or clothing stores), trade shows and/or gatherings, sporting facilities (e.g., stadiums or exercise facilities for one or more sports teams), and possibly other locations. In embodiments where the portable housing 102 is a semi-trailer, the portable housing 102 may be towed to a variety of different locations.

Fig. 21 shows an example of a case where the portable housing 102 can be used. Referring to fig. 21, the portable housing 102 may be transported to a stadium 1200 around a particular sporting event. Specifically, stadium 1200 may be a football stadium where fans are gathering before or after a game.

As shown in fig. 21, several customers 1210 are queued to pick up customized footwear produced using portable manufacturing system 100. In this case, it may be of interest to the customer 1210 to have the customized item have a predetermined color associated with the team playing in the stadium 1200. Alternatively, after participating in a football game, some customers may wish to purchase customized football shoes (e.g., football spiking shoes).

While various embodiments have been described, the description is intended to be exemplary, rather than limiting and it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that many more embodiments and implementations are possible that are within the scope of the embodiments. Accordingly, the embodiments are not to be restricted except in light of the attached claims and their equivalents. Also, various modifications and changes may be made within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing an article of footwear, comprising:

receiving information relating to a three-dimensional model of a footwear last;

forming a footwear last by an additive manufacturing process, wherein the footwear last has a three-dimensional geometry corresponding to the three-dimensional model of the footwear last;

inserting the footwear last through a braiding apparatus to form a braided footwear component on the footwear last;

removing the braided footwear component from the footwear last; and is

Thereby forming the article of footwear with the braided footwear component,

wherein the steps of forming a footwear last and inserting the footwear last through a braiding apparatus are performed within a portable housing.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein forming the footwear last includes printing the footwear last using a three-dimensional printer.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises gathering customized foot information from a foot, and wherein the method includes using the customized foot information to create the three-dimensional model of a footwear last.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein acquiring the customized foot information comprises obtaining an image of a foot using at least two optical sensing devices.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein collecting the customized foot information comprises collecting information about a sole of a foot using a foot scanning device.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising assembling a sole component with the braided footwear component.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising bonding a covering component to the braided footwear component.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein bonding the overlay component to the braided footwear component includes welding the overlay component to the braided footwear component.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the braiding device is configured to over-braid a filament of material onto the footwear last.

10. A portable manufacturing system, comprising:

a portable housing comprising a towing system, wherein the towing system is configured to attach to a towing vehicle such that the portable housing can be towed by the towing vehicle;

an additive manufacturing device;

a braiding device;

wherein the additive manufacturing apparatus and the braiding apparatus are disposed within a housing interior of the portable housing; and is

Wherein the additive manufacturing apparatus is configured to form a footwear last, and wherein the braiding apparatus is configured to form a braided footwear component on the footwear last.

11. The portable manufacturing system of claim 10, wherein the portable enclosure is a semi-trailer.

12. The portable manufacturing system of claim 10, wherein the portable manufacturing system further comprises a sensing device configured to collect customized foot information from a foot, and wherein the sensing device is disposed within the housing interior of the portable housing.

13. The portable manufacturing system of claim 10, wherein the portable manufacturing system further comprises a welding device, and wherein the welding device is disposed within the housing interior of the portable housing.

14. The portable manufacturing system of claim 10, wherein the additive manufacturing apparatus is configured to operate within the enclosure interior, and wherein the braiding apparatus is configured to operate within the enclosure interior.

15. The portable manufacturing system according to claim 12, wherein the portable manufacturing system includes a computing system, wherein the computing system is configured to build a three-dimensional model of a footwear last using the customized foot information, wherein the computing system is configured to control the additive manufacturing apparatus to form the footwear last according to the three-dimensional model of the footwear last, and wherein the computing system is disposed within the enclosure interior.

16. A manufacturing system, comprising:

a sensing device for sensing customized foot information;

an additive manufacturing device;

a braiding device;

welding equipment;

wherein the additive manufacturing apparatus is configured to form a footwear last using the customized foot information;

wherein the braiding apparatus is configured to form a braided footwear component on the footwear last;

wherein the welding apparatus is configured to bond at least one covering component to the braided footwear component formed using the braiding apparatus, and

wherein the sensing device, the additive manufacturing device, the braiding device, and the welding device are all housed in a portable housing that includes a drag system.

17. The manufacturing system of claim 16, wherein the manufacturing system comprises at least two optical sensing devices.

18. The manufacturing system of claim 16, wherein the customized foot information includes information about a three-dimensional geometry of a foot.

19. The manufacturing system of claim 16, wherein the portable enclosure is configured to be towed by a towing vehicle using the towing system.